2017 NBA Draft Prospects: Kentucky’s Bam Adebayo is easy to love

Freshly minted from the University of Kentucky, Bam Adebayo makes for an interesting 2017 NBA Draft prospect. Despite missing links on the offensive end, the potential is easy to see.

With a 6-foot-10, 260-pound build, Bam Adebayo’s frame will instantly factor in to a size advantage at the NBA level. During his career as a Wildcat, it was his size and strength factoring into his success.

Averaging eight rebounds and 1.5 blocks per night appears to be a direct factor of his size. While physicality tends to even out at the pro level, Adebayo’s explosiveness could continue to trend upward.

Last season at Kentucky, the forward was an absolute stunner on the normally-lacking John Calipari defense. This again may come as an attribution to his size, but the metrics are quite favorable.

Measuring a 95.7 defensive rating (points per 100 possessions) and a 5.3 defensive plus/minus is breathtaking. Tack on a defensive rebound percentage of 17.2 percent and you’ve got yourself an indomitable defensive presence.

Considering the Bulls’ incumbent power forward Nikola Mirotic posted a defensive rating of 105, Adebayo’s defensive presence would be impact. Should the Bulls bring back Mirotic, the two could work as an interesting tandem. Mirotic, who averaged 24 minutes last season, as an offensive generator rotating for Adebayo as a defensive stopper.

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Fred Hoiberg benefits from Adebayo as much as any member of the organization. The Bulls, who finished third in the NBA in rebounding last year, become an even bigger pain on the glass. Creating this sort of effectiveness on the boards actively creates more possessions.

Despite his defensive potential, it is quite fair to question Adebayo’s ceiling considering difficulties on offense.

His 59.9 shooting percentage would tell another tale. However, many of Adebayo’s looks came from point blank against undersized or weaker college defenders.

Turning the ball over 2.2 times per night is troubling. More troubling was his 65.3 percentage from the free-throw stripe. The low percentage is a better indicator of the forward’s troubles from the field. Adebayo will need to become more effective from the field if he wants to achieve his potential.

Despite the areas of trouble, Adebayo still did great things on offense as a Wildcat. Averaging 13 points and 3.1 offensive rebounds a night is good for a guy who struggles from outside the paint. His offensive rating of 123.6 suggests he was doing a lot of things right.

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Joining teammates De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk, Adebayo has all the makings of a classic boom-or-bust draftee. Using the 16th pick in the NBA Draft on Adebayo seems to be a useful tool, even if it takes some development.